


and we're your sanctuary

by LadyMarshmallow



Category: One Piece
Genre: Brief mentions of injury, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Friendship, Gen, I refuse to tag Sanji with the last name he rejected, Luffy on the different ways his crew shows their love for Zoro, Nakamaship, No Romance, Slice of Life, no beta i die by my own sword
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29432886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyMarshmallow/pseuds/LadyMarshmallow
Summary: The Sunny rocks against the dancing waves.Zoro sleeps on.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy & Roronoa Zoro, Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates & Roronoa Zoro
Comments: 16
Kudos: 104





	and we're your sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> Another upload for today. I'm actually really surprised, too. I just - I need softness right now.
> 
> Anyway, I just love to write about the dynamics between the Straw Hats, especially showcasing how they're more than family and all that. Also, some Zoro appreciation because I crave for it like I crave air.
> 
> Have fun!

**=ï=**

The sea is calm, its clear waters a glimmering sapphire beneath the brilliance of the afternoon sun.

On the decks of the Sunny, Luffy sits crossed-leg in front of his slumbering swordsman, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest with large unblinking eyes, straining his ears to listen to the even sound of Zoro's breathing.

Currently, Luffy's swordsman sleeps without a single care in the world, snoring faintly as he lets his body heal from the many injuries he received in the fight they have just won and sailed away from. Once again, Zoro has taken a significant amount of damage, bleeding for them and their lofty dreams like he always does in every major battle, leaving half of him covered in the white bandages Chopper has painstakingly wrapped around him.

Although Luffy is aware that such injures are nothing to Zoro, his first companion claiming that he has have had worse — the dark echoes of Thriller Bark and Sabaody still lingering at the edges of all of their minds — it's still at least a little worrying when his trustworthy swordsman has immediately flopped himself down on his favorite spot on the Sunny's open deck, succumbing to his injuries the moment he is certain that each and every one of them is well and accounted for.

"Hey," Usopp's voice brings Luffy out of his reverie, his marksman taking a seat next to him, their shoulders touching in a way that brings solace to both of them.

"Zoro's been sleeping funny," Luffy says as a form of acknowledgment, pointing out the way Zoro's brows are creased as if he can feel the sun behind his lids even with his eye closed.

"He's really out like a light," Usopp agrees, brushing off invisible dirt from Zoro's pants. His action is light and full of quiet concern, barely hidden by the way his lips curl up on one side.

"I'm not surprised." It's Chopper's small voice that speaks up, their doctor shuffling towards them, most likely to check up on Zoro. "He had a broken arm, several broken ribs, and a stab wound."

"He'll be fine," Luffy says with unrivaled certainty, words painted with all the shades of truth that he can roll out of his own tongue as he scratches the bandages wrapped around his own right arm.

"I bet," Usopp huffs, the sound of underlying laughter bleeding into his statement. "I can already see him trying to remove his bandages when he wakes up later."

To his left, Chopper lets out a horrified gasp, "He can't do that!"

"You know he will," Usopp tells him, reminding their doctor of Zoro's habit of taking off his bandages without Chopper's permission.

Chopper shrieks, and Luffy can't help but laugh at the way their small doctor buries his face against his hooves, "Ah. I forgot Zoro is a hopeless guy."

"It's okay, Chopper. You're our doctor, so I know you'll figure something out," Luffy assures him, brightening up when his doctor did his signature happy dance.

"Your compliments don't make me happy, bastard," Chopper flushes, preening under the compliment for a minute or two before he turns into the competent doctor Luffy knows him to be. "I guess I'd just have to make painkillers for him."

"That's our doctor," Usopp hypes, effectively sending Chopper back to his overly positive mood just a few minutes ago.

"Ah, I'll prepare those medicines for him now," Chopper announces once he calms down again, "Make sure he doesn't put too much strain on his injuries, okay?"

Both Luffy and Usopp nod, the two of them falling into silence when Chopper, instead of immediately heading to his clinic, approaches Zoro first. None of them say a single word as Chopper stands on his tiptoes just tall enough to nuzzle Zoro, his blue nose pressing against Zoro's cheek for the briefest of seconds, a gesture meant for a pack, for family, and it makes stars explode beneath the scars on Luffy's chest.

"Bye, Zoro," Chopper murmurs, and he is gone, sprinting towards the ship's medical bay.

"It's kinda boring when we can't annoy Zoro," Usopp comments, breaking the stillness of the moment that settled between them after Chopper has left.

"Yeah," Luffy concedes, eyeing Usopp as the other leans back to stare at the sky, sharp eyes following a flock of gulls as they glide above them.

"I know!" Usopp suddenly exclaims, leaping to his feet in an abrupt manner. 

"Usopp?"

"I'll be right back," Usopp promises, and Luffy watches as his friend dashes towards the direction of his mini-farm, his expression shifting from thoughtful to pleased before he's skidding back to where Luffy is waiting for him.

"It's a get well soon gift," Usopp explains as he reaches for Zoro, round eyes shining with a combination of pride and glee.

Luffy blinks at Zoro, and his own eyes crinkle at the sight that meets him.

The flower Usopp so lovingly tucked behind Zoro's ear speaks of courage and adoration, a soft brilliant ivory contrasting against the vibrant moss of Zoro's hair. It's a pretty little thing, even prettier when combined with his swordsman, and Luffy commits the image to memory.

"Yosh. That's gonna make his recovery one-hundred times faster," Usopp declares.

Luffy believes him.

"I'm sure it will."

Usopp grins at him, "I gotta go back to my workshop. You want to hang out with me?"

Luffy declines Usopp's offer with a shake of his head, "I'll stay here."

"Alright," Usopp nods in understanding, turning to leave but not without pressing a quick kiss on Zoro's cheek, right at the exact same spot where Chopper has pressed his nose moments before. "You know where to find me if you need me."

Usopp leaves then, and his presence is replaced by a warm sea-breeze, blowing around them in time with the two pairs of arms that sprouted against the ship's railing, close to where Zoro is slumped forward. In the brief moment that Luffy has taken his eyes off of Zoro, his wayward swordsman has shifted in his sleep, his built upper body now nearly bent in half in what has to be one of the most uncomfortable sleeping positions Luffy has ever seen. 

Unblinking, Luffy watches the disembodied limbs cradle Zoro's head, careful to not wake him up as they move deftly, pulling Zoro a little bit backward and angling his neck to rest in a more comfortable position, one that would lessen the strain he's unconsciously placing on himself and his injuries as he slumbers. It takes a couple of minutes before the owner of the limbs is satisfied, and almost all of the arms disappear, except for the lone hand lingering on Zoro's right cheek, patting it gently, before it too bursts into a flurry of soft pink petals.

Luffy raises his head then, squinting underneath the brim of his hat to look at Robin, his archeologist silently tending to her small garden. She smiles at him the moment their eyes lock, tender and full of life. It was one of his favorite expressions on her, and Luffy grins back with ten times the intensity.

There is a lull in the activities happening on their brave-hearted ship after that, and Luffy allows himself to get lost into the day's tranquility, a wide yawn slipping past his lips. Luffy is nearing the borders of sleep when he hears the familiar sound of Nami's footsteps as she walks by them.

The scent of tangerines that always seem to accompany his capable navigator prompts Luffy to turn towards her, noting how she goes back three steps to stand in front of Zoro.

She is humming under her breath, Luffy realizes as he takes in the way she's tilting her head from side to side, the bright orange of her hair swaying every time she moves. She looks tired and battle-weary, a small bandage carefully placed just above her left eyebrow, but content — Luffy has a feeling it had to do with the three bags of treasure she made Sanji carry before they left the island — as she watches Zoro.

"You look kinda cute with the flower," Nami observes as she leans down to press her lips on the crown of Zoro's vibrant hair, a silent gratitude for always watching her back, and Luffy's cheeks hurt from how much he's smiling at the way the brown of Nami's eyes are taken over with affection for her nakama.

Then, Nami is pulling away, and when she does, she stands with her back straight. Without wasting a single second, she looks at them and levels everyone present nearby with a hard stare. "Anybody who makes any kind of noise will be charged for fifty thousand berries! Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Luffy nods immediately, his head almost reaching the ground at the speed of his movements. The reason behind her threats is easy to understand, but he doesn't point it out because Luffy knows how his navigator is capable of striking fear on the hearts of the strongest and the most feral of men. He really doesn't want to face any version of her wrath.

"Good," Nami says. 

Seemingly satisfied with his obedience, Nami continues on her merry way, and Luffy knows that where Nami is, Sanji is close behind.

Luffy is proven right when his cook appears in his field of vision, looking cool and suave despite the bandage wrapped around his head.

"Can't believe this idiot got a kiss from Nami-san," Sanji grumbles in between the puffs of his cigarette, its white smoke swirling upwards before fading into nothingness.

"He got kisses from Usopp and Chopper, too," Luffy supplies with his ever-present smile.

"I saw," Sanji confirms, placing an open palm on top of Zoro's head, "Moss head over here's always pulling dangerous stunts. The moron. Is his brain made of seaweed or something?"

"Are you worried?" Luffy teases, waiting for the eventual denial he is sure Sanji will launch into, and getting plenty surprised when his words are answered by a stretch of silence.

Curious and a little shocked, Luffy chances a look at Sanji, nearly bursting into a fit of giggles at the dazed look that seems to take over the other's usual gallant and gentlemanly expression.

"So soft," Sanji whispers in awe, lips quivering in barely contained joy as he continues to ruffle Zoro's hair. "His hair is soft. What the hell?"

This time, Luffy can no longer hold back his snickers, and he questions in between huffs of breath, "Do you like Zoro's hair?"

Seemingly snapping out of the trance that he has been under, Sanji removes his hand from Zoro's hair, and try as he might to pretend that he's annoyed with Zoro, Luffy can still tell that his cook is feeling some kind of disappointment at the loss of contact; the bright shade of embarrassment currently adorning Sanji's entire face isn't helping his case either. Not that Luffy can hold it against him, he knows from experience that Zoro's hair really is  _ that _ soft.

"I'm going back to the kitchen," Sanji announces, quickly turning to leave, only pausing briefly to point at him, "You, don't wake him up."

"Okay," Luffy agrees before standing up to follow Sanji. He wants to keep watching Zoro, but with a crew such as theirs, Luffy knows that there is nothing to worry about, and the promise of food is simply too good to pass up.

Sanji clicks his tongue at him, stance rigid with obvious exasperation, "Why are you following me?"

"Food," Luffy simply says, eyes wide and pleading as he looks up at Sanji who merely let out a clearly faked groan of annoyance.

"Seriously, what kind of stomach do you have?" Sanji wonders even as he starts preparing him something to eat, and Luffy can't help but admire his cook even more than he already does. No matter the time and whoever it may be, if there is someone who needs to be fed, Luffy knows that he can trust Sanji to always come through, no questions asked.

"Oh, soup," Luffy exclaims, mouth already watering at the pot of soup resting innocently on the table, his rubbery hands itching to dig into the obviously delicious meal Sanji has prepared.

"Don't touch that, idiot captain," Sanji hisses, smacking his hands away before they can even come within an inch radius of the food.

Luffy pouts, "Why?"

"That's for the marimo when he wakes up," Sanji replies, grabbing the pot of soup and transferring it to where he can see it and ensure that no wandering hands will come in contact with it.

Although Luffy can no longer steal a taste of the enticing thick and creamy vegetable soup, Luffy still melts at the special breed of kindness only his cook is capable of possessing, even more so when Sanji hands him a plateful of his signature sandwich — Luffy remembers Sanji calling it his special five-meat East Blue combo sandwich — a snack full of his cook's love, one that Luffy wolfs down with gratitude.

"I fed you," Sanji declares after Luffy has licked his plate clean, raising one foot up on the air, "Now, get out of my kitchen, you rubber fiend."

And Luffy is sailing into the air after having been booted off the kitchen in the most literal sense, rolling out of the galley's door and flat on the strangely lemon-scented grass on Sunny's deck.

"Boo," Luffy whines, blowing a raspberry towards the direction of the now-closed kitchen door before his attention is caught by the sounds of metal clicking against a plank of hard and sturdy wood.

Following the sound, Luffy finds his loud shipwright and gentle helmsman building a mechanical umbrella above where Zoro is still dozing, their swordsman remaining deaf to all the ruckus and noise happening around him.

"I wonder how he can sleep so soundly under such blazing heat," Luffy hears Jinbe ask, the deepness of his voice a calming sound against the hammering noise resounding around their current work station.

"He's weird like that," Franky explains, his tiny robotic hands moving with expertise even as he turns away from his work to look at the Fishman.

Unable to contain the buzzing curiosity threatening to overwhelm him, Luffy finally speaks up, easily sliding himself on the conversation of the two older men.

"What are you guys doing?" Luffy questions, still lying flat on his stomach on the carpet-like grass of their ship.

"We're building an umbrella for Zoro-bro so he doesn't get sunburned," Franky responds, turning to give him a large thumbs up, his face split into a showy grin. "What do you think?"

Luffy looks at the umbrella, taking in the muted red of its wide panels and its mecha-like body. It's cool and convenient, but its purpose and the reason behind its invention outweigh everything else, and Luffy beams at both Franky and Jinbe.

"So cool!" Luffy says sincerely, raising both his thumbs in approval as his eyes twinkle like the brightest of stars on the darkest of evenings.

"Knew you would like it," Frankly laughs, loud and obnoxious, carefully putting all his tools away. "Hope Zoro-bro likes it, too."

"I'm sure he will," Jinbe says, one of his webbed hands moving to give Zoro's uninjured shoulder a pat, almost like a father's touch. He does it a few more times before he turns to walk back to Sunny's helm, always so responsible and hardworking — Luffy's really glad the Fishman has agreed to be part of his crew.

"Well, my work here's done," Franky declares before he turns to him, "You can sit next to him. Umbrella's big enough to fit everyone."

Luffy finds his super cyborg's words to be the truth, and as quick as lightning he scrambles to his feet, claiming the spot next to Zoro as if that's where he belongs.

"Comfy?"

Luffy's response to Franky's question is another blinding smile, "Very."

"Super!" Franky says, more in a whisper than his usual loud exclamations, the man clearly turning down his flare to the lowest possible setting in consideration for their napping crewmate.

Right as Franky departs, most likely to finish the small greenhouse he's been building as per Robin's request, Zoro stirs, and Luffy's eyes widen in a bit of panic, worrying at his bottom lip from the thought that he has disturbed Zoro's rest.

But as Luffy thinks Zoro is about to wake, he hears the sound of bow on a string, and the hum of an old lullaby echoes around the Thousand Sunny's open deck, lingering in the wind before drifting far into the wide-open sea.

"How about a song, Luffy-san?" Brooks lilting, almost musical voice carries over with his music, and Luffy snaps his head to look at his musician whose eyeless sockets are trained on him and Zoro, expressionless may be his face, but Luffy does not doubt the fierce happiness bleeding through every note he plays in his old violin. 

Next to him, Zoro settles once more, lulled back into dreamland by the song only Brook can play, and Luffy shoots his undead musician a grateful nod.

Luffy doesn't know how long he's waited by Zoro's side, just watching the waves and listening to the controlled noise coming from the different corners of their home, but when Zoro finally stirs awake, the sun has almost sunk beneath the horizon.

"Hi," Luffy greets with an open barrel of enthusiasm in his tone, nearly vibrating in both joy and relief at the sight of the sleep-hazed yet shining silver of his swordsman's single eye looking at him.

"Captain?" Zoro slurs, the deep rumble of his voice is thick with the remnants of his rest.

"Yeah. It's me. Zoro slept well?"

"Yeah," Zoro mumbles, placing a hand over his bandaged stomach where Luffy knows his stab wound lies. " 'm hungry."

Luffy blinks, once, twice, before he lets out an unrestrained laugh, loud enough to startle the lonely bird hitching a ride on Sunny's figurehead. "Me, too."

"Well, help me up, and let's go eat. 'm really starving," Zoro demands, the tan of his cheeks disappearing under a dark vermillion flush as his stomach growls in agreement with his statement.

It makes Luffy really happy. He feels lighter now that Zoro is awake, so once more, he laughs as freely as he can and doesn't stop laughing even as he carries Zoro on his back — ignoring all the grumbling, annoyed protests slipping past his lips; he doesn’t tell Zoro about the flower still tucked behind his ears either — leading both of them towards the galley where everyone else is already gathered. His laughter grows even more when Zoro is bombarded with light-hearted teasing from the others, their relief at the sight of their now awake swordsman is thick and palpable, almost solid in its intensity.

Watching them, Luffy's mind is filled with one thing and one thing only.

This is the crew of the future Pirate King, Luffy thinks with a fierce sort of fondness and ocean-wide pride.

This is his crew, and tomorrow, a new adventure awaits them.

**=ï=**

**Author's Note:**

> \- Everyone loves Zoro.
> 
> \- Luffy loves everyone.
> 
> \- Nami is the most powerful Straw Hat lmao.
> 
> \- The fact that Zoro can sleep thru all his crew's crazy antics speaks of trust, and I am weak. So weak.
> 
> \- Just a small in-between their major adventures kind of fic.
> 
> \- Two fics in one day. My eyes are tired™.
> 
> \- Anyway, come have a chat with me sometimes about One Piece and other stuff if you want. You can find me on twitter [@novacchi](https://twitter.com/novacchi).
> 
> \- Iol


End file.
